The GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY

I must say, I am quite exhausted. It has been a long two weeks. Between working on hundreds of pictures and then doing papers to help my mom out in her speech class, I haven’t been getting much sleep these days. Well, I can’t say that this is all that’s to blame. If you add a get together Saturday that last until the wee hours of the morning, unexpected drive to Killeen to drop off my niece, whom I love, but that trip was taxing and then we didn’t even get a nod of the head in thanks afterwards. Hosting friends for a few days. Now maybe it’s easier to understand why I’m exhausted. I just want to take a long, hot bath and wind down with my book. That sounds like a plan.

Okay, so the Michael Jackson public memorial was held yesterday at the Staples Center in LA. I tuned into the online broadcast by streaming video. I must admit that I expected to have alot of technical difficulties with the video, but there were very few. Great job, CBSNews2!

The memorial was quite somber. Although there were several celebrity performances, it was not forgotten that it was also a funeral. Many spoke of MJ’s charitiable efforts and his musical talents. Today was not about the negative publicity that overshadowed much of his life. It was a celebration of life. A homegoing. I sat in front of my computer screen, wiping tears and slanging snot as if I were there. As if I knew MJ personally. Neither of these are true. I never met him. Never even saw him perform in real life. But I knew him all the same.

My day started out at 12 noon. From noon until 6 pm I was glued to my computer screen. The memorial…the newscasts…I had to see it all. Much to my husband’s frustration, I would not be moved! Around I say 6ish, I’d gotten my fill and then it was time for my own tribute. With drink in hand I cranked up my music and sang and danced to everything MJ. It was our night! My poor husband sat and watched as if I’d lost my everloving mind. But he just didn’t understand what MJ and I had all those years back. So I ignored him and kept drinking, singing, and dancing. I had myself a grand time! Sufficiently, my tribute ended at midnight, after which I showered and then I climbed into bed. I spent the next few minutes reflecting over MJ’s life and career. Thinking how sad it was for him to have died with such a negative stigma attached to his name. I thought of his children, left without a father. Then a line from one of MJ’s songs came to mind: I’ve been a victim of, a selfish kind of love…Damn right, you were…

WOW! In just nine, short days, the world has mourned the loss of five celebrities: Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, Billy Mays, Ed McMahon, and now Steve McNair. All of this makes one re-evaluate ones own life. I know it does me. I think about all of these people, who had all of the money in the world to do whatever they pleased. But yet, that money outlived them. I’m not saying that in a spiteful way. I say that to mean, that everyday, people do things in search of the all mighty dollar. Many people tie their happiness to the amount of moolah they have stashed away in their bank accounts, 401Ks, CDs, stocks, etc. But yet,when it’s all said and done, they still fail to have acquired that happiness they worked so hard to obtain. In the meantime, families have been destroyed, reputations ruined, and childhoods lost. Just maybe that search should be for something else instead.

As I listen to discussions about the events surrounding the death of MJ and Steve McNair, it amazes me how cruel our world has become. It’s funny how we can all make assumptions about other people’s lives but dare we to peer into the window of our own and do the same. I’ve had friends and acquaintances make the comment that “Steve McNair got what he deserved because he shouldn’t have been cheating.” But we do not know the circumstances in his life. All we can do is make assumptions. Regardless of what the circumstances were, this man did not deserve to be shot to death in his sleep. As for MJ, I will not get on my soapbox. But I will say that there is only one perfect entity with the authority to pass any judgement. And that person is not me. Whatever MJ did or didn’t do is not for me to say. I look at the man and the music.

Needless to say, the last few days have been crazy. And the sad part is, it’s only going to get crazier…